Diocese of Tehuantepec

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Bishop(s) Felipe Padilla Cardona, Bishop José Refugio Mercado Díaz, Auxiliary Bishop Arturo Lona Reyes, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 23 June 1891 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: Oaxaca Country: México Square Kilometers: 25,500 (9,849 Square Miles) Conference Region: Pacífico-Sur Mailing Address: Apartado Postal 93, Av. Higalgo 36, 70760 Tehuantepec, Oax., México Telephone: (971)5-00-60 Fax: 5-14-42

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• José Mora y del Rio † (19 Jan 1893 Appointed - 12 Sep 1901 Appointed, Bishop of Tulancingo, Hidalgo)
• Carlos de Jesús Mejía y Laguana, C.M. † (15 Sep 1902 Appointed - 2 Sep 1907 Resigned)
• Ignacio Placencia y Moreira † (15 Sep 1907 Appointed - 27 Oct 1922 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Zacatecas, Zacatecas)
• Jenaro Méndez del Río † (16 Mar 1923 Appointed - 17 Mar 1933 Appointed, Bishop of Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca)
• Jesús Villareal y Fierro † (12 Sep 1933 Appointed - 23 May 1959 Appointed, Bishop of San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz)
• José de Jesús Clemens Alba Palacios † (8 Aug 1959 Appointed - 6 Sep 1970 Appointed, Auxiliary Bishop of Antequera, Oaxaca)
• Arturo Lona Reyes (4 May 1971 Appointed - 25 Nov 2000 Retired)
• Felipe Padilla Cardona (25 Nov 2000 Succeeded - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
23 June 1891	Erected	Diocese of Antequera, Oaxaca	Diocese of Tehuantepec (erected)
23 May 1959	Territory Lost	Diocese of Tehuantepec Archdiocese of Veracruz-Jalapa	Diocese of San Andrés Tuxtla (erected)
21 December 1964	Territory Lost	Diocese of Tehuantepec	Territorial Prelature of Mixes (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	500,000	520,000	96.2%	20		20	25,000			27	32	ap1951
1966	300,000	320,533	93.6%	18	10	28	10,714		10	85	21	ap1967
1968	245,000	255,600	95.9%	22	11	33	7,424		11	85	17	ap1971
1976	263,500	310,000	85.0%	24	11	35	7,528	1	13	111	22	ap1977
1980	361,000	424,000	85.1%	40	10	50	7,220		14	132	28	ap1981
1990	1,195,000	1,406,000	85.0%	38	8	46	25,978		12	114	32	ap1991
1999	1,124,794	1,425,694	78.9%	50	8	58	19,393		13	107	31	ap2000
2000	1,135,602	1,441,502	78.8%	59	8	67	16,949		12	120	33	ap2001
2001	1,135,602	1,441,502	78.8%	67	8	75	15,141		12	120	33	ap2002
2002	1,145,000	1,452,000	78.9%	53	8	61	18,770		9	122	33	ap2003
2003	1,250,000	1,550,000	80.6%	66	7	73	17,123		8	127	35	ap2004
2004	1,320,000	1,625,000	81.2%	69	7	76	17,368		8	122	38	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Arturo Lona Reyes (Bishop: 4 May 1971 to 25 Nov 2000)
• José Refugio Mercado Díaz (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Sep 2003)
• Felipe Padilla Cardona (Coadjutor Bishop: 26 Aug 1996; Bishop: 25 Nov 2000)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• José de Jesús Clemens Alba Palacios † (Bishop: 8 Aug 1959 to 6 Sep 1970)
• Carlos de Jesús Mejía y Laguana, C.M. † (Bishop: 15 Sep 1902 to 2 Sep 1907)
• Jenaro Méndez del Río † (Bishop: 16 Mar 1923 to 17 Mar 1933)
• José Mora y del Rio † (Bishop: 19 Jan 1893 to 12 Sep 1901)
• Ignacio Placencia y Moreira † (Bishop: 15 Sep 1907 to 27 Oct 1922)
• Jesús Villareal y Fierro † (Bishop: 12 Sep 1933 to 23 May 1959)